Literacy, culture and technology

During the past decade the rapid growth and development of electronic information and communications technologies (ICTs) has been associated with the emergence of diverse new forms of social practice and literacy (Johnson, 1997). These have contributed to interesting and wide-reaching forms of cultural change. In this chapter we provide brief accounts of 'social practices' and 'culture'. We then explore two examples of changing social practices and changing forms of literacy that are mediated by new information technologies, and consider some of their cultural implications.